2010 Episode Synopsis
by Charlie Wray
Episode 202: UV Spin-N-Glo Lakers
Today, the Mercury Marine Destination takes us to the St.Catharines side of Lake Ontario for Lake Trout. Lakers can be a load of fun, but attention to detail can turn a slow day into a memorable one, and with unexpected north winds, this is going to be a tough one. Charlie fires up the RAM and after a short drive, launches his new 2150 Crestliner Sportfish SST. This is the largest of the Crestliner fleet www.crestliner.com, and powered by the Mercury Verado 250 hp, this is one serious Great Lakes fishing boat. As with all Sportfish models, this has the casting deck on the front that easily turns into a bow rider for family fun, as well as the beautiful conversion bench seat that folds down into a large cast deck at the back of the boat. Looking at this boat equipped for serious fishing, one would never guess that within seconds, it could also be the perfect family fun boat. Charlie has seen his share of anglers having problems on even good ramps. A proper tow vehicle is needed, even if you think your underrated vehicle can manage for short trips. The old thinking, “it can handle it”, or “it won’t hurt it”, “the lake is only a few minutes away” doesn’t make up for oversized boats and small underpowered cars. Pick the proper tow vehicle for the weights you are towing, not just the distance. For more on ideal tow vehicles www.ramtruck.ca
Today, even with the winds coming from what is normally a poor wind direction for fishing this area, the dragging the bottom technique is directed towards inactive fish anyway. So as the old saying goes, a poor day on the water is better than not being on the water, so lets give it a try! Lake Trout are well known as bottom huggers, and these Lake Ontario lunkers are no different. Spoons and flies can be productive, but when these fish get fussy, nothing gets them moving more than dragging the bottom with Lake Trolls, with a little tidbit floating and dancing 18 inches behind the last spinner. Even the correct size of Lake Trolls can make a difference when the fish are fussy and even downsizing these can make a difference between success and failure. After seeing the difference the UV coated Spin-N-Glos made last season, Charlie was anxious to try the new Worden’s UV coated Rooster Trolls. These are downsized trolls but with that great UV coating. Yes, it did make a difference, even on what was sure to be a tough day!
This is a technique and fishery that can be fun and exciting for all if a few details are followed. When dragging the bottom, the standard round cannonballs work the best for rolling and bouncing around the lake floor, and the reflective Lake Troll is sure to call them in. Be sure to play with the sizes, some days larger blades out produce the smaller, and some days smaller is the ticket as today, and I am sure the UV coating added to the success! The cannonball stirs up the bottom debris, the flashing blades of the lake trolls look like minnows and shiners picking up a free meal, and this is often more than even the laziest Laker can stand as they move in for a free feast themselves, and pick off the floating, flashing Spin N Glo.
Charlie re-ties all his bait rigs with the incredibly tough Seaguar Fluorocarbon leader material. If you don’t think this makes a difference, try it. Not only is it abrasion resistant, but invisible to the fish. With the rigs dragging bottom, you need this abrasion resistant help. Regular mono will quickly get nicked and Seaguar will save the day when those monsters slam your bait. Since the Seaguar is invisible, diameter isn’t the issue, and with these fish getting bigger each year, 30lb test gets the nod. Charlie also changes the hook to a Mustad Ultra Point #TG76BLN KVD Treble hook. This is actually still a triple grip, but a new 1 X strong and very light in weight, so it allows the Spin-N-Glo to dance even more. The big plus with the Triple Grip configuration, is that it locks in and is incredibly hard to shake out, even from a twisting, line wrapping Lake Trout. Get use to the rod bouncing as it drags and skips across the bottom, contact is very important!! Fishing in even 70 feet of water usually requires 80 - 85 feet of cable out on the Cannon downrigger to accommodate the additional drag from the Lake Trolls. Hits might only be a slight change in the bounce of the rod, to an all out screaming reel, but you will quickly learn the difference. To ensure solid hookups, and to eliminate false releases, make sure you have your lines firmly set in the release clips. It also helps to have fast downriggers like the Cannon Mag 20, and it is such a treat for them to stop automatically at the water level. So many times hands are full and action in the boat is frantic for anyone to watch what the downrigger is doing, stopping automatically is easy to take.
Not only are the trusty Okuma Catalina line counter reels used for this, but also the Okuma Convector Great Lakes rods. This graphite wrapped, E-glass rod has incredible feel, light in weight, tough as nails and features the perfect action for downrigging!! The line counter reels serve many purposes. Not only is a smooth reliable drag needed, but repeating the exact productive leads each time, can mean the difference of a great or poor day. Even being off a few feet can be the difference between success and complete failure. Reels are loaded with the new 20 lb test Seaguar Abrazx Fluorocarbon line. Not to be confused with the tough stiffer leader material, this new line is a remarkable breakthrough in Fluorocarbon main lines. This line is thin, strong and offers incredible abrasion resistance, many times over what you would find with mono lines. Not only for dragging the bottom, but the damage release clips can inflict on your lines are greatly reduced, this Seaguar Abrazx is incredible! Forget braided lines here, the slight stretch from the lines are needed when dragging the bottom to prevent frequent false releases, and to absorb the shock. If you see a red knob on some of the Okuma reels, this TSC ( Tension Spool control ) setting is awesome, this is basically an independent drag setting for your reel while it is in free spool, so you can lower the weights hands off the rod and reel. When you engage your reel back into gear, your drag is not affected, only when in free spool. Far too many folks mess with the spool control knob to lower weight when downrigging and this messes up your perfect drag setting resulting in snapped lines. Never again with the Okuma TSC knob on the Catalina and Clarion reels.
Downriggers are great and one of the best ways to present lures to deep dwelling fish. The Cannon Mag 20 is not only a fast downrigger, but can offer an assortment of features for those who ply the large bodies of water. Not only can you operate this downrigger from your Humminbird fishfinder with a Cannon Link, but without any clips on the downrigger line, the downrigger weights stop automatically at the water’s surface. A big help when frantic fish action is on the go! The Cannon Mag 20 also has a built in ion control, so you can control the electrical field around your boat and help excite the fish. Many boats have electrical leaks that travel down the downrigger wires and scare fish, this nifty system allows you to regulate any problems and create attractive levels. Cannon has also developed a new line of adjustable rod holders and track system to hold them, this fantastic system is a must for any serious angler and you now can position your rods exactly where you want them. With the Humminbird 1197C large screen, you won’t miss any action, and with the built in GPS feature, you can track productive runs, and even track your downrigger balls. Trolling speeds are crucial, and both the fuel efficient Mercury Verado 250 hp and 9.9 4 stroke kicker motor were used today for ideal speeds. This is one detail that cannot be over looked. This is a slow, in your face trolling method that slow speeds, between 1.5 and 1.7 mph are needed. Not necessarily because of the activity level of the Lakers, but with faster speeds, the floating Spin N Glos get dragged down into the debris and are quickly fouled. For all your fishing and outdoor needs, check out SAIL –The Outdoors Superstore www.sail.ca
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